Chris Beebout Assignment 21

             “The door of possibilities is still locked. Oh well, I’ll break through the wall again.” -Dragon Ball Super Opening

Ugh.

I fell back on my bed, having just completed 12 hours of debate over 2 days. I say completed, but I mean pummeled and dragged through. I was at my wits' end; even trying my hardest, a mediocre competitor like myself couldn’t even touch the other debaters at the UK Season Opener, some of whom had gotten awards at nationals.

Another defeat.

Looking ahead to the season in front of me, I didn’t like my prospects. To know that so many people were so much better than me… to a perfectionist, it was nearly crushing. Why even try when I’ll just lose again? Such was my attitude going into the second tournament of the season.

But for that second tournament, something was different. Often when I was about to make a mistake, something in my brain told me, “No, wait. That’s really dumb. Remember how that one guy beat you by doing it better at UK…”

And at Ryle High School, where I for the first time placed above a number of my previously invincible opponents, I learned the value of mistakes. The door hadn’t changed at all — none of the other debaters had magically gotten worse and unlocked the door of possibilities for me. But by ramming myself into the walls of my own limitations, learning from defeat each time, I eventually broke through anyway. I’m still not amazing at Congress, but I’m a better thinker, worker, and communicator — all extremely valuable skills that I learned from not initially having them.

Assignment 21: OB-STA-KELS – oh Brother Where art Thou (College)

We love obstacles.  When other people are facing them that is.  But where and who would our heroes be if they didn’t face any obstacles.  The same can be said for us.  Our obstacles shape who we’ve become and who we are becoming.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

OR

Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution

Minimum of 150 words - due Sunday, March 4th at 11:59 pm

March 25th is the last day to make up blogs 20-22

Cate Clay Assignment 19

"Twenty years from now, your will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." A few years ago my friend shared this Mark Twain quote with me. This piece of advice has stuck with me since then. I have always been pretty quiet, but this quote made me become more aware of my shyness keeping me from engaging in new and exciting experiences. It's easy for anyone to get caught up in life and remain in their comfort zone day after day, but if you don't step out every now and then, you will look back with only regret. There are of course some boring, mundane activities that you just have to fit into you schedule, like homework or cleaning, but whenever you are given the opportunity to have a fun and new experience, go for it! Later, when reflecting on this decision, you will be proud of yourself for taking a chance and "sailing away from the safe harbor."

Cate Clay Assignment 18

1. Before I finish high school, I would like to learn to play an instrument. I played piano throughout my childhood, but gave it up in middle school. I'd like to pick it up again or learn to play the guitar before I graduate. Playing an instrument seems like a fun, stress-reducing hobby that you can continue throughout your entire life.

2. Before I finish college, I would like to study abroad. My mom spent a year studying in Costa Rica and considers it one of the most fun and interesting times of her life. While forcing yourself to be immersed into another culture is a bit terrifying, it gives you some of your most interesting memories and allows you to step out of your comfort zone to experience things you otherwise never would have done. Additionally, I hope to speak Spanish all my life and spending an extended period of time in a Spanish-speaking country would broaden my knowledge of the Spanish language more than any class or books ever could.

3. Before I finishing living, I would like to create a non-profit organization. I am not sure exactly what members of society I want this organization to be aimed at helping, but at the moment I feel most passionate about providing aid to immigrants, homeless children, and the mentally ill. I am trying to expose myself to as many struggling members of my community as possible now, so that as an adult I know what portion of the population I can help the most.

Cate Clay Assignment 17

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/user/id/977110916/ratings

Assignment 19 - Lindsey Angel

For this assignment, I guess I'm breaking the rules. The prompt asks, "What is the one piece of advice given to you that has stuck?". Well, I believe that actions speak louder than words. So as for the "advice" that has stuck with me and greatly affected how I live my life, I'd say it would have to be how my grandfather lived. I say lived, because he passed away in 2010 from stage four lung cancer. Anyway, my grandfather was not an educated man; I'm not sure he even finished high school to be completely honest, but that could just be my memory failing me. He couldn't give me a piece of advice so eloquently spoken that the words reverberated in my mind, haunting me to this day, as this prompt suggests. Yet, he spoke through his actions: the way he lived, the way he loved, the way he worked. He was the strongest man I have ever known. He wasn't a particularly large man, but he could out work any man. He worked for his family, so he could give them a better life than the one he had growing up (he was raised extremely poor, going to bed hungry most nights). Even after his retirement, he never quit working. He was always the first person to offer a helping hand. He taught me the true meaning of hard work: to work for yourself and your family, never giving up, and never tiring. To this day, the way he lived his life continues to affect how I try to live mine.

Assignment 18 - Lindsey Angel

1. Before I finish high school, I want to run a marathon. During my freshman and sophomore years, I was on Henry Clay's cross country, but this past year I decided to take a step back and focus more on academics my junior year. With that said, I continued to train and be on the track team, and I regret not doing cross country when I now know I could have easily managed it along with my school work.  I love track, but I do miss running longer distances and pushing myself mentally an physically harder by doing so. This summer I plan on upping my mileage and running regimen, and hopefully by the end of high school partake in half marathons, and maybe even a full marathon.

2. Before I finish college, I would love to study abroad. I want the chance to fully immerse myself into a different country's culture and lifestyle without a time limit holding me back, like one would on a simple touristy vacation. To be completely honest, moving to a different country alone sounds terrifying, but extremely rewarding. To me an experience like that would (hopefully) help me find myself, who I want to be, and how to really live on my own and be responsible for my own happiness.

3. Before I die, as cliche as this might sound, I want to have known that I lived a meaningful life; that my life had some sort of positive impact, both on myself and others. To put it simply, I want to be able to look back on my life and be happy with what I did, how I lived, and who I surrounded myself with. At the same time, I want to know that others can look back and remember me positively as well, that I was a good friend, a good parent/spouse, etc.

Assignment 17 - Lindsey Angel

I initially sought out this film to actually learn what minimalism is, other than a type of interior decorating popular on social media platforms like Pinterest. To say the least, I was thoroughly surprised at what I discovered about minimal and intentional living. Minimal living is not about focusing on living with less (while that is a goal, it is not the main objective). Minimalism is about living intentionally, bringing things intentionally into your life on the grounds that they add value. If they don't, then they shouldn't be in your life. So yes,this does lead to living with far fewer items than the average person, but it means that you are gaining value from everything that you have. However, at the same time, one must also recognize that while the physical things in are lives may add value, our lives should not be focused on them. As The Minimalists say "Love people, use things. The opposite never works." I 100 percent recommend this documentary to anyone that wants to live a more intentional, and value filled life. Not only am I completely enthralled with the idea of a minimal lifestyle, but I am now a huge fan of Joshua and Ryan (The Minimalists), Colin Wright, and Matt Davella (this documentary's wonderful director) since watching their film.

*I'm not exactly sure if this actually posted to rotten tomatoes (I was having some tech issues) so I included the actual text.

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/user/id/977107155/ratings

Assignment 17 Harris Hawkins

I watched Shawshank Redemption in my film class. I knew I'd be in for a treat when I found out Morgan Freeman was an actor. The movie portrays the flaws in the justice system and the brutality inmates face once in the prison. The basis of the film is that, Andy, is wrongfully accuse of double murder. However, all the audience stacks up against him and he's given a life sentence. His first couple of years in prison were rough. From guard brutality to inmate rape it's a miracle he survived. Andy meets Red, played by Morgan Freeman and his prison life changes. Red and Andy become instant friends. Red even secures Andy a poster of his favorite actress. Red and Andy open a library n the Prison to better all the inmates lives. Andy even becomes friends with the warden and uses his banking skills. The movie teaches us many lessons and forces us to decide if Andy is a good or bad guy. It is easily my favorite movie of all time.
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/user/id/977106670/#

Assignment 17 - Isabella Matthews

This past weekend I saw The Greatest Showman. Here is a link to my review of it:

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/user/id/#

Elle Varner Assignment 19

The piece of advice that has stuck with me my entire life is something that every elementary school student is told every day. Treat others how you want to be treated. I’ve learned that this phrase is essential in making friends and creating trust. Although I have grasped this concept for so long, I still find others (and at times, myself) not following this crucial advice.  I’d like to use this opportunity to remind my classmates that this is the best policy- and that it is essential to treat others how you want to be treated.

Assignment 20 - Isabella Matthews

Self care is a pretty big part of my life and it continues to grow in it's importance to me. The way I deal with the loads of stress and anxiety that come from school, work, family, friends, activities, etc. is by relaxing and focusing on myself for a little bit.

Step 1: Come home from your incredibly tiring day. Maybe you had band practice till late at night or you had to go straight to work from school and then to a rehearsal or practice and then to a meeting of some sort. Perhaps watch a short youtube video or two. Take this as a moment to stop and take a breather. If you have homework assignments try to quickly take care of those so you won't have to worry about them half way through your relaxation process. You are home and the day is over and you got through it. Good job!

(Optional) Step 2: Depending on if you had dinner or not between (possible) various activities throughout the evening, you may be hungry. Cook yourself something to eat. Cooking and being in the kitchen can be very relaxing if you let it and you get to enjoy something that you made yourself. Even if you did already have dinner, maybe you could bake something! There are endless recipes and mixes you could use to make brownies, cookies, cakes, etc. Plus you would be able to enjoy your delicious treats with your friends tomorrow.

Step 3: Do a face mask. At one point I thought face masks were ridiculous but if you are trying to relax this would be a good way to do it. You could sit still and watch or read something while you wait AND you'd be able to help out your skin while relaxing.

Step 4: Take a shower or a bath (you don't need to know how to do this). If you are feeling like crap after a long day, being clean and smelling good can only make things better.

Step 5: Grab some popcorn, maybe some ice cream, and if you are like me then a cup of hot chocolate or some other sort of warm drink. Put on a good movie (I like watching Dead Poets Society when I'm in the mood to have a relaxing night) and settle in with your treats and a bunch of blankets.

Repeat once a week for optimal results and a less stressed out brain or as often as needed/desired.

Elle Varner Assignment 18

My ULTIMATE goal between now and the end of highschool is to convince my parents that they need to go to the grocery more than just once a month. Often times I come home from school, starving, praying that my parents had gone to Kroger; and I open the pantry door and there is nothing but canned corn and stale Cheerios.
By the end of college my goal is to be able to work out by myself on a schedule. As of now, it takes all of my energy to get myself up out of bed after school and go to the gym. By the time I get to the gym I have no idea what I want to do so I end up doing the exact same thing every day, and I honestly have no clue if it is keeping me in shape or not.
Before I die- more specifically before my parents die- I want to repay them for everything they have done for me. I want to spoil them like they spoiled me as a child, and I want them to know that I am forever grateful for everything they sacrificed for me.

Assignment 19 - Matthew Kingkade

One simple piece of advice my parents were told growing up and that they have given to me all throughout my life is "do your best." Although this may sound childish or simplistic it has worked well for me so far. What I have realized is doing your best isn't always easy, but as long as you give all your effort and do things to the best of your ability, everything seems to work out. Whether this be in school, at work, or anywhere else, doing your best not only helps you, but often times encourages others to work hard and give their best also. Even if the task is simple or you think no one is paying attention, doing your best and giving your best effort is a good habit to practice. So next time you're doing your homework that may not seem important and that you're putting little effort into, try doing your best and see if it pays off in the end.

Elle Varner Assignment 17

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_greatest_showman_2017/reviews/?page=2&type=user

Assignment 19 lucy ferguson

The advice that stuck to me the most is cliche and wasnt given to me by just one person, but is a common peice of advice, and that is to not care what others think of you. I think this is the most important and lasting advice i have ever received. If you are always worrying too much on what others think of you, then you are going to miss out on so many other things in your life. If you walk around always in constant fear of being judged then your life will be miserable. You need to learn to be confident in who you are and remember to not care about what others think about you.

Assignment 18 Lucy Ferguson

1. The number one thing on my bucket list before i graduate high school is to go to a Henry Clay Basketball game. I have never been to a Henry Clay basketball game. I go to other games i have just never made it to a basketball game and i want to before i graduate.
2. The top thing on my bucket list for before i finish college is to feel confident in my career path that i am taking and make sure i am happy in what i am doing. I dont want to be one of those people that dreads going to work everyday and is always miserable when they are working because they dont like their job. I want to be able to do something that i at least and interested in and enjoy doing some of the time.
3. The top thing on my bucket list for life is to travel the world. I want to be able to go to all different places in the world before i die and get to experience all the different cultures and see all the different sights. I want to go to all of the continents before i die and travel throughout them if possible.

Assignment 18 - Matthew Kingkade

1) The number one item on my bucket list before I finish high school is to do as many things outside of my comfort zone as possible. Whether this be speaking in front of a large group or taking a class I may not prefer, I believe these experiences can/will help to prepare me for not only college but for the rest of my life.

2) Before graduating college, my goal is to know what I want to do with my life. Whether this be continuing on in my education or pursuing a career. This will not only help me as I graduate and begin a new journey, but also set a path that I can follow for the rest of my life.

3) As common as this may be, an item that is high on my bucket list is skydiving. I've always been intrigued by flying and this may be the closest opportunity we as humans have. Being able to glide through the air and see the world below you sounds like a great experience that I hope to achieve at some point in my life.

Assignment 17 Lucy Ferguson

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/user/id/
Here is a link to my review on The Greatest Showman.

Julia Meadors Assignment 19

Being on time. Work ethic. Effort. Body language. Energy. Attitude. Passion. Being coachable. Doing extra. Being prepared.  

These are the “10 things that require zero talent.” The first time that I heard this list was in band class and I was surprised that we were taking time to talk about such little things. But after thinking about it, I realized that there were several things that I don’t apply to everything I do, not just in band but also in all of my classes. Everybody always gets caught up trying to be the best at everything they do and sometimes it is the small things that make the biggest difference. If you go into a task with a bad attitude or with as little energy as possible, you will never get your best result. Also, if you are struggling to finish a task, if you can excel at these little details, it can make a huge difference in your results. 

Julia Meadors Assignment 18

     1.      In High School, I have had many short-term goals, but my main one currently is to pass the AP French exam this year. After traveling to France over this past summer, I really fell in love with the language and I want to study and do well on the exam. The French exam is an extremely difficult exam so I really want to do well on it.

     2.      Continuing on with wanting to do well in French, I want to continue learning French in college. To go with this, I would really like to study abroad for a semester during college. I would want to get to know a new town and get to do another trip to Europe.

    

     3.     For this, I will give a cliché answer. I want to have a husband and kids and a stable job. I really want my kids to have as many opportunities to travel and learn through experiences that I can. I also would love to be able to travel with my family and see the world with them.

Julia Meadors Assignment 17

This is my review for Pitch Perfect 3

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/user/id/977106118/ratings

Assignment 17 - Matthew Kingkade

Review of The Greatest Showman:
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/user/id/977106140/ratings

Luke de Castro Assignment 19

            One piece of advice that has stuck with me is a quote from Steve Jobs. “Everything around you that you call life was made up by people no smarter than you, and you can change it.” This is an important attitude because it means that this world is malleable. If we realize we have influence, then we can leverage that influence to affect change. This quote has shown me that my dreams are attainable. Knowing that I am able to make a difference allows me to move on from thinking about if I am going change something to dreaming about what I am going to change. In a society that is often pessimistic about the future, I enjoy this notion that all we need to do is try. The necessary tools and skills are already available. This quote has shown me that the ability to make an impact is not out of reach.

Luke de Castro Assignment 18

1.     Before high school is over, I want to equip myself with the tools necessary to succeed in college. In these four short years, I want to cram as many skills as possible before it is over. High school may be the last time in life where we have the ability to completely focus on education. In college and beyond, we are forced to worry about problems other than our education, so I plan to take advantage of the opportunity I have now before having to face other issues.

2.     Before graduating college, I want to have a clear sense of purpose. College is a time of learning and self-discovery. During that time, I want to develop an idea of how I’m going to spend the rest of my life. Be it a career, life goal, or a certain attitude, I believe the college experience will help me decide and prepare for the rest of my life.

3.     Before finishing life, my ultimate goal is to change one aspect of the world. It may be a large contribution or a small one, but I want to leave the world different, and hopefully better, than I found it.